A community-based model of care improves blood pressure control and delays progression of proteinuria, left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction in Maori and Pacific patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: In this study, our main goal was to determine whether an integrated, community-based model of care using culturally appropriate health-care assistants to manage hypertension in Māori and Pacific patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD) is more effective than conventional care in achieving blood pressure (BP) targets and delaying progression of cardiac and renal end-organ damage.

Methods: Sixty-five Māori and Pacific patients (aged 47-75 years) with type 2 diabetes, moderate CKD (>0.5 g proteinuria/day, serum creatinine 130-300 µmol/l) and hypertension were randomized to usual care (n = 32) or community/intervention care (n = 33) for 12 months.